Energy price hikes are coming thick and fast, so we wanted to update you with the situation right now. Remember - this is the time your usage is at its highest, so check now to see if you can save £100s.

Switching to a cheap fixed tariff is easy. It takes just 5 mins, plus you get £30 cashback (£15 per fuel) if we can do it for you. You can either:

Put bluntly, if you're with Npower you'll be paying a whopping £350/yr more than you need to for exactly the same gas and elec. So here are our top 10 tips to help you switch and save...

1.

New. We've launched a tool so you can check you're on your supplier's cheapest tariff. If you're on a supplier's standard rate, you're not on its cheapest. That's why we've added a new 'My Current Supplier' filter to Cheap Energy Club. Just check your Energy Club details are up to date so we know which your current supplier is.

Savings can be massive. From March, a typical Npower user on its standard dual fuel tariff could save £230+/yr by moving to its cheapest. A British Gas customer can switch to Sainsbury's Energy (which British Gas operates) and pay the same, plus get a £100 Sainsbury's gift card. Both switches give you £30 cashback. See Switching without switching for full help.

2.

Worried about small providers? See only deals from big names. There are about 50 energy suppliers, all offering multiple tariffs, so it can be dizzying choosing the right one. So now you can filter our Cheap Energy Club results to show only tariffs, incl the cheapest, from the Big 6 plus Co-op, First Utility and Ovo.

3.

Urgent. If you're in Wales, Scot or parts of NW Eng ACT NOW to see if you should get our cheap collective fixed deal. We've negotiated a cheap deal with EDF for at least 15,000 dual fuel switches (30,000 single), incl Economy 7.

This isn't a blockbuster like some of our previous collective switches. However it's with a big-name company, we'll be supporting it, and on average, incl cashback, at the time of its launch it was the cheapest fix on the market after Iresa (whose price raises concerns over sustainability).

Whether it's a good deal for you or not depends on where you live and your usage, which is why we do it as part of a whole-of-market comparison in Cheap Energy Club, so you can see how it stacks up against others.

As long as you were signed up for this email or were registered for the club before 8pm last Friday, it'll show up in your results and our top picks if still available.

EDF scored a decent 60% 'great' in our latest customer service poll. More info on the tariffs, including a full review and FAQs, in our 6th MSE Collective guide.

4.

Switching's easy. It's the same gas, same electricity. You won't be cut off, and they don't send engineers round to tinker with your meter. Just fill in your details, give a meter reading & the companies do the rest.

5.

You can still switch and save if you have a prepay meter. Standard meters are cheaper than prepay, and the Big 6 (and some smaller suppliers) have stopped charging to swap you to one, though most people require a credit check. On typical use, switching to the cheapest fix can save £295/yr. See our Cheap Prepaid Gas & Elec guide for full info.

If you don't want to or can't change meters, do a Cheap Energy Club prepay comparison anyway, because you could still save - though if you're in debt with your supplier you may not be able to move.

6.

If you're on elec or gas only you can still move.
Though your choice may be more limited. Just go to Cheap Energy Club and select the correct fuel in the 'Edit details' section.

7.

It's cheaper to pay by direct debit. Suppliers charge about 7% less if you pay this way. Always give regular meter readings to get accurate bills. If you estimate, you could end up with overly inflated monthly payments or face a bill shock if you've not paid enough.

8.

If you don't think you'll bother to keep switching, look for a longer fix. It won't be the cheapest deal you can get, but it protects against price rises for longer. Do a full market comparison and fix until 2019 to cover you for the next two winters.

9.

You can get 'unlimited' energy for a fixed price. If you're worried about your direct debit shooting up as quickly as temperatures drop, Green Star's Unlimited tariff* lets you pay a fixed amount every month regardless of how much energy you use - good for someone freezing at home and fearful of putting the heating on.

All prices are personalised. You need to give it past bills to calculate a flat monthly rate, fixed for 12 months. The tariff cost is similar to a Big 6 standard tariff, but there are £30/fuel exit fees. For medium users, it's about £1,068/yr, or £89/mth. Yet even if your usage rockets, Green Star says it'll honour the deal - useful if you just want peace of mind. See Is Green Star any good?

10.

If you're thinking of moving home, make sure you can take your deal with you. Not all suppliers let you transfer fixed deals to a new property. So it's best to check with your supplier to see if it's possible. If you do need to leave early, most suppliers charge exit fees, typically £30/fuel, though the odd firm doesn't at all and some waive them if you move home. It's best to check before applying so you're in the know.

For more options and info including what to do if you're a renter, on Economy 7, think you're eligible for free insulation, or want to complain about bad service, see our Cheap Gas and Electricity guide.

In Northern Ireland?

You've fewer options than the rest of the UK, but can still switch electricity. We're working on a comparison tool and will soon be able to let you compare the best electricity tariffs.

The Martin Lewis Money Show

Mon 20 Feb, 8pm, ITV: The new Lifetime ISA - a possible free £32,000. This April the new Lifetime ISA starts for those saving for a first-time home or retirement. I'll take you through who it's good for, how to maximise it and alternative savings. Plus, how spending a penny can save you £20,000. Do watch or set the Betamax.

If you've debt hanging about on a credit or store card, a new range of deals can cut what you owe. They're all balance transfers, where you get a new card that pays off existing debts for you, so you owe it instead, but now it's interest-free. Yet these also pay cashback when you shift the debt, and crucially they do that even if you only shift small amounts. In many cases that means some pay more cashback than the one-off fee for doing this, so your debt's actually cut...
Imagine Ivor Littleowing has £200 on a typical 20% APR credit card, so it costs him £40ish interest a year. If he shifts it to a Halifaxup to 32mth 0% (eligibility calc / apply*) there's a one-off £1.40 fee (0.7% of the amount shifted) but it gives £20 back a couple of months later. So by shifting the debt he only has to repay £181.40 and it's now at 0%.

Tip 1: Ensure you can repay within the 0% time. The shortest card above is 32mths 0%, and that should be plenty of time to clear debts under £600. If not, go for the card with the lowest fee in the time you'll need to clear it. Though it's worth noting: where we write 'up to' you may get a shorter deal; anecdotally, the higher your eligibility calc odds, the more chance of getting the advertised 0% length.

Tip 2: If you've multiple cards with small debts... that's a big debt. This info's aimed at those with just one small debt. If you've more, you need a card right for you to shift them all to. See Best Balance Transfers for help.

Tip 3: M&S gives a voucher - only go for it if you're careful. While the amount's bigger, it has to be spent at M&S, and can't clear your debt. So if you go for it, use it to pay for normal shopping, and then use the £30 cash saved to help clear your card debt.

Balance Transfer Golden Rules. Full help & ALL best buys: Balance Transfers (APR Examples).
a) Never miss the min monthly repayment, or you could lose the 0% deal and it'll cost far more.
b) Clear the card or balance-transfer again before the 0% ends, or the rate rockets to the higher APR.
c) Don't spend/withdraw cash on these. It usually isn't at the cheap rate and cash withdrawals hit your credit file.
d) You must usually do the balance transfer within 60/90 days to get the 0% & voucher/cashback.

You usually pay more for faster fibre - best for gamers, streamers or multiple users - but this cracker is far cheaper than out-of-contract prices, even for standard speeds. For example, BT normally charges about £490/yr for standard broadband and line, and £565/yr for its faster fibre equivalent. Here are the need-to-knows...

New. Hot BT fibre broadband & line. Use this BT fibre link* and anyone who doesn't currently have BT broadband can get this line rent & up-to-52Mb speed unltd broadband deal on a 1yr contract (83% of the UK can get it - you're told when applying). It's about 3x normal speed & avail until 11.59pm on Thu 23 Feb. Here's how it works:

Unlimited fibre broadband and line rent's discounted to £29.49/mth for 12mths. After, it jumps to the usual £47.49/mth.

You pay £59.99 set-up costs. Includes activation and p&p for the 'free' router.

CLAIM a £100 prepaid Mastercard & £50 cashback AFTER installation. This makes the deal really hot, but it's fiddly. Annoyingly, BT won't remind you, so diarise to use this Mastercard link and cashback link. You've up to 3mths after activation to claim - they then take up to 45 days to arrive.

- Anything else? Weekend calls to UK landlines are included, for others see BT call costs. Regular cashback site users may see bigger cashback elsewhere, but often on more expensive deals. Cashback can also change daily, so check.

-
Cost analysis: It's a steal. The total you pay over 1yr is £413.87 before calls. But claim the cashback & use the Mastercard (anywhere that takes Mastercard so it's almost as good as cash) & it's £263.87, equiv to £21.99/mth.

Already with BT? This Virgin Media deal gives you up-to-50Mb fibre and line rent for equiv £283 over 12 months. Alternatively, if near the end of your BT contract, it's easy to haggle with BT.

The sad answer to the question above, which was sent to us, is very little. It shows just how vital it is to ALWAYS buy travel insurance WHEN YOU BOOK. You're not covered for things such as illness, bereavement & jury service that emerge before you get insured. Plus it doesn't cost more to book early. Our Cheap Travel Insurance guide has the top deals. Here are the highlights...

Jet off more than once a year? An annual policy beats single. This covers a full year's holidays and can only cost a few pounds more than a single-trip policy, eg, a year's cover in Europe for a 35-yr-old is from around £9 (£19 for a family) or from around £19/yr worldwide (£42 for a family). For under-65s, Holidaysafe Lite* and Leisure Guard Lite* are usually cheapest - exact prices depend on age. Full best buys in annual policies.

Cheapest single trip from £5 Europe, £14 worldwide.Leisure Guard Lite* tends to win but also get quotes from Holidaysafe Lite* to compare, as they vary depending on age, location and number of travellers. See single-trip cover for more.

Travelling in the EU? Take a free EHIC. A whopping 5m+ expired in 2016 yet everyone should take a VALID European Health Insurance Card. It entitles you to emergency state-funded medical treatment for the price a local pays, so if free for them it's free for you. Warning: never pay for the card - see how to get/renew a EHIC for free.

SUCCESS OF THE WEEK: (Send us yours on this or any topic)"My fully comp car insurance renewal was £499, up £100+ on last year. I complained and got it down to £352 for the same insurance. Thanks for your haggling tip."

Have you been ticked off? Some tick boxes are to ensure you read T&Cs or to get your consent for marketing. But some can prove costly - sometimes pre-ticked, easily overlooked and opting you in to a financial add-on unless you opt out. We want to hear your tales. Have you found any confusing tick boxes, or are your experiences good? Email us at tickbox@moneysavingexpert.com or head to the MSE Forum.

First Direct takes the service crown again, with Barclays bringing up the rear. Last week was our biannual banking service poll. First Direct yet again came out on top with 90% saying its service was 'great', while the wooden spoon went to Barclays (41% 'great'), followed closely by HSBC (43% 'great'). See all the winners and losers in our full bank service poll results.

Q: If I rent out a room in my home, and work full time, do I still get the £7,500 tax-free allowance? It sounds too good to be true. Raymond, via email.

MSE Sarah M's A: Yes, the good news is you qualify for the allowance regardless of what you earn.

The Government's Rent a Room scheme lets you earn up to £7,500 tax-free (up this tax year from £4,250) from renting out a furnished room in the home you live in.

If your rental income is below this threshold, you don't even need to tell the taxman about it. If higher, you need to tell the taxman and in most cases complete a tax return, state you're using the Rent a Room allowance and pay tax on the remaining amount.

For more ways to reduce the tax owed from renting out a room, see Rent a Room help.

That's it for this week, but before we go, what's the oldest piece of technology you have? Our users are chewing the fat on this, following a story about a soldier from Yorkshire who still uses his trusty 17-year-old Nokia 3310. One's still watching Star Wars on VHS, another has a 30-year-old microwave, while the soldier's drawn comments such as "I bet he's outstanding at Snake". Have your say: What old tech do YOU still have and use?

We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of this email and the site. We're a journalistic website, and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques - but can't promise to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.

What you need to know

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances - and remember we focus on rates not service.

We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned, how likely they are to go bust, but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips).

We often link to other websites, but can't be responsible for their content.

Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion.

More about MoneySavingExpert and Martin Lewis

What is MoneySavingExpert.com?Founded in February 2003, it's now the UK's biggest consumer help website with more than 10 million people getting this email and about 13 million using the site every month. In September 2012 it became part of the MoneySupermarket Group PLC. Its focus is simple: saving cash and fighting for financial justice on anything and everything. The site has over 80 full time staff, more than a third of whom are editorial - researching, analysing and writing to continually find ways to save money. More info: See About MSE.

Who is Martin Lewis?
Martin set up and is chairman of MSE. He's an ultra-focused money-saving journalist and consumer campaigner with his own ITV prime-time show The Martin Lewis Money Show and weekly slots on Radio 5 Live, This Morning and Good Morning Britain, among others. He's a columnist for publications including the Telegraph, Sunday Mirror and Woman magazine. More info: See Martin Lewis' biography.

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How this site works

We think it's important you understand the strengths and limitations of the site. We're a journalistic website and aim to provide the best MoneySaving guides, tips, tools and techniques, but can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong.

This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances and remember we focus on rates not service.

Do note, while we always aim to give you accurate product info at the point of publication, unfortunately price and terms of products and deals can always be changed by the provider afterwards, so double check first.

We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned (how likely they are to go bust), but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the Section 75 guide for protection tips).

We often link to other websites, but we can't be responsible for their content.

Always remember anyone can post on the MSE forums, so it can be very different from our opinion.

MoneySavingExpert.com is part of the MoneySupermarket Group, but is entirely editorially independent. Its stance of putting consumers first is protected and enshrined in the legally-binding MSE Editorial Code.